Hi all,
While setting up our systems, we’ve noticed two roadblocks we have regarding Email logging.
1. With our business we often have repeating clients who will start a whole new email chain directly to us. While we’re aware that conversations started by an inbound email does not meet the requirement for logging, we find it confusing that future replies in this chain are also not logged. Does anyone know if there is a way to circumvent this without having to create a brand new email chain with the client which we initiate or manually logging each email?
2. Replies are only logged when the client replies to the email which originally started the email chain. However, we have noticed issues with this where if we have to forward that email chain to a different department for them to take over, as they are no longer originally responding to the original sender, we lose tracking again. Is there a way to keep logging these emails without the forwarded team starting a new chain or CCing the original team in every email even if it doesn’t relate any more (I.E. is there an option to assign that next team as the new “original”).
Thank you for any help that can be provided!
Best regards,
Nathan
Thank you for reaching out to our Community and sharing your concerns. I understand the challenges you’re facing with email logging into our systems.
I would recommend starting by exploring using a unique identifier or tagging system in the email’s subject line in HubSpot. This way, even if it’s a new chain, the identifier can link it to the previous conversations. Consider using a dedicated email alias for each client, ensuring that all communications, whether initiated by the client or your team, go through that specific alias. This could simplify tracking.
Encourage using a standardized format for forwarded emails that includes the original email chain or a reference link. This way, the new department can easily follow the conversation history.
Thank you so much for your response @PamCotton !
I will have a look ath the unique identifier, sadly I don’t believe the email alias will work as we are also looking at this using a team email for certain scenarios (e.g. our Sales Team email forwards the email on to the Design Team, however now that the Sales Team (who initiated the email chain) are no longer being replied to, the logging stops with the conversation with the Design Team).
And regarding the first scenario with logging an email chain which was started by a client and not the CRM, is there a way we can automate the logging, as we currently do just forward every email to our hosted email address.
Thank you once again!
@NJThomps for the first scenario, instead of forwarding to your hosted email address, you can forward it to 111111@forward.hubspot.com where 111111 is replaced with your HubSpot portal ID.
This is your forwarding address and it will auto-log the email to the original sender’s contact record.
You can then reply from HubSpot or your email provider (as long as you use log/track) and the rest of the thread will be included as you go.
The quickest way to get your portal ID is from any URL from your account:
Hey there @NJThomps. I just ran a test in HubSpot and here’s what I found:
It’s expected behavior that an incoming email does not log to the existing Contact (nor create a new one). So far so good.
When I tested a reply, the “log and track” settings in my email (we use Google, but Outlook is the same) it’s checked on and does log into the Contact. (screenshot below)
Do you have these options for tracking your emails?
As for point 2, I would expect the behavior you’re experiencing to happen when the other employees do not have HubSpot accounts and are not connected with their email. I imagine that’s how HubSpot is designed to work, so that may be where the BCC functionality mentioned may help.
Hi Dan,
Yes we did have those options, but we would lose logging when that client would later respond. We were basically struggling with the fact that it seems the tools didn’t track any response emails in a chain where we did not initiate it.
Thank you for you help!
Best regards,
Nathan
There is a big update here, currently in beta – you might see it under Settings > Product updates. (If not, you’ll have to be a bit more patient.)
Contact email logging rules
What is it?
Contact email logging rules let admins configure their portal to automatically capture all email communications between users and existing contacts in HubSpot.
Why does it matter?
The current default logging behavior only captures contact emails that are replies to already logged user emails, which can lead to important communications being missed in your CRM:
When a contact responds to a sequence but their email isn’t logged
When you send emails from your mobile device without using the BCC address
In Settings, navigate to Objects > Activities > Email Log & Track to find the new section for Contact email logging rules.
The default value is “Log replies to logged threads only”, which will keep functionality as it has always been.
To get the new behavior, select “Log all emails to/from known contacts”. This will log all emails between the personal connected emails of users who have Personal email access permissions and contacts who are not on the Never Log list.
If you choose the new logging behavior, be aware of these key differences:
All emails users send from outside of HubSpot (such as the email client, mobile apps) to existing contact records will log to the CRM.
All emails from existing contacts to users will log to the CRM.
Emails sent outside of HubSpot to recipients who are not contacts, will not log. You will need to continue using the Sales Extensions or add the BCC address.
Email attribution
Emails that are logged from contacts that are net new email threads will be attributed to HubSpot users accordingly:
If the email only has one recipient, attribute to that user.
If the email has multiple recipients, but only one is associated with a user, attribute to that user. An email address is associated with a user if they have it as a connected personal email address, it’s their HubSpot user account email, or an alias.
If the email has multiple recipients, and more than one associated with a user, attribute to the contact owner.
Who gets it?
This feature is available for all HubSpot hubs and tiers.
